Carobs

The ripe pods taste sweet, with a gently toasted, caramel-like flavour and a chewy, sometimes dry texture. The hard seeds are usually removed before eating.

Break open a pod and chew the sweet, pulpy part, discarding the seeds. You can also chop the pods and simmer them in water to make a sweet syrup.

Look for pods that are dark brown, dry and firm, without mould or a musty smell. Ripe pods are naturally sweet; green pods are not ready to eat.

Keep whole, dried pods in an airtight container in a cool, dry cupboard. Once opened or chopped, seal them well so they do not absorb moisture or pantry smells.

Carob pods are used for syrup, while ground carob is stirred into drinks and baked into biscuits or cakes. Their sweet, roasted flavour works well with nuts, oats and warm spices such as cinnamon.

No. Carob flour is made by drying and grinding the pod pulp, so it is finer and easier to mix into baking; whole carobs are eaten as pods, with the hard seeds removed.

Carobs come from the carob tree, a legume, not from the cacao tree. Their sweet, toasted flavour can resemble chocolate, but carob contains no cocoa.

The seeds are very hard and are not usually eaten whole; they are separated from the pulp during processing. Avoid giving whole pods or seeds to young children, as hard pieces can be a choking risk.